One of the significant reasons for the popularity of the minivan type vehicle is the versatility of its interior space. The interior space may be filled with seat assemblies for the use of one or more occupants, may be emptied of seat assemblies for the loading of large cargo, such as plywood or furniture, or may be used with any combination of the two options. To increase the comfort of the occupants, many automotive manufacturers are including so-called captain chairs as the seat assemblies. Captain chairs differ from other seat assemblies in that they typically include a seating surface for only one person and a much taller seat back equipped with one or two armrests. To keep the versatility of the interior space, the seat backs of these captain chairs may be rotated forward from an upright position to a folded position. In the folded position, the rear portion of the seat back is relatively flat and can accommodate the loading of some cargo. To increase the versatility even further, seats may be removed altogether from the vehicle.
Because of their size, however, the captain chairs have proved difficult to remove from the vehicle. Without any handles, which would be obtrusive in the upright position, most users of the vehicle desire to lift the folded seat assembly by the armrests, and not the actual seat back or seat cushion. This desire presents a particular problem as the seat assemblies of the conventional design do not incorporate any device to lock the armrests into place. Thus, there is need for a seat assembly equipped with armrests that are held in one position when the seat back is in the folded position. In addition to this need, designers of automotive components and systems continually strive to reduce the cost, weight and complexity of such products.